Child Find helps children with special needs

What is Child Find? What does it really mean for infants, toddlers and school-age children in Clermont County?

The Child Find Mandate found in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires all school districts to identify, locate and evaluate all children with disabilities from birth through age 21, regardless of the severity of their disabilities. They must identify all children who may need special education services even if the school is not providing special education services to the child.

All states are required to develop and implement practical methods of determining which children with disabilities are receiving special education and related services and which are not. (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3).

The Child Find mandate applies to all children who reside within a state, including children who attend public and private schools, homeless children, migrant children, highly mobile children, and children who are wards of the state. (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3)

The primary purpose of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 is to insure that all children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education, including special education and needed services that are designed to meet the child's unique needs, to prepare them for secondary and post secondary education, employment and independent living.

Congress encourages states to provide Early Interventions Services (Early Interventions Regulations (34 C.F.R. 303.321). Early Intervention Services means that children with developmental delays and other disabilities will receive treatment early. Under IDEA 2004, states must ensure that children with disabilities are eligible for special education services by the age of three.

Early intervention programs may be administered by multiple agencies, coordinated by an interagency team headed by a lead agency. The lead agency is responsible for ensuring that children suspected of having a disability are identified, and the agencies involved have a referral system in place. Determination of need for early interventions services is determined within 45 calendar days after referral is made.

Help Me Grow Early Intervention is the states program for infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families. The program has four goals: To enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities; reduce educational costs by minimizing the need for special education; minimize the likelihood of institutionalization and maximize independent living; and to enhance the capacity of families to meet their child's developmental needs. Early intervention helps children with disabilities achieve their goals in cognitive, social/emotional, communicative, adaptive and physical development.

Help Me Grow's Home Visiting program provides first-time expectant or new parents with health and child development information. The goal of the program is to give expectant parents the information and support they need to be prepared for the birth of their child and provide ongoing support for families to understand and maximize this period of development to age 3. Children should be healthy, happy and ready to succeed in school. This program has been structured to incorporate the evidence-based research on home visitation.

Clermont County Help Me Grow programs are housed at the Clermont County Department of Developmental Delays, Thomas Wildey Center in Stonelick Township.

Clermont referrals (with parent's permission) can be made by social service agencies, hospitals, physicians' offices, health clinics, child care centers and families themselves. Call 732-5030 or fax information to 732-5031.

Clermont County Help Me Grow providers include (but not limited to) such agencies as the Clermont County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Clermont General Health District, Child Focus Inc./Head Start, Clermont Educational Service Center, Mental Health Recovery Board, Clermont County Department of Job and Family Services, YWCA/Eastern Division, Families Connected of Clermont County, Beech Acres and the Regional Infant Hearing Program. Clermont County Family and Children First/County Collaborative Group oversee the overall program. Services are funded through federal, state and local sources.

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Child Find helps children with special needs

What is Child Find? What does it really mean for infants, toddlers and school-age children in Clermont County?